—KATYA HILLS

From left: Buben & Zörweg’s Grande Infinity safe features a pendulum clock; the Buben & Zörweg Orion XL safe. Opposite page, from left: Rolex watches are the most likely to be stolen; the Watch Register’s Katya Hills

as possible significantly increases your chances of a successful recovery,” says Hills. Auction houses, dealers and pawnbrokers are encouraged to check whether a watch is stolen or lost by sending its serial number by email or text to Hills’ team. “Always record your watch’s unique serial number and keep a digital copy of the accompanying paperwork, as well as photos of the watch and your purchase receipt.”

In June 2016, a missing Patek Philippe was identified at a New York auction, just two years after it was stolen from a Swiss collector in Naples. “Watches are recovered years or even generations after a theft,” explains Hills. “In January we returned a Rolex Cellini to an owner in Hong Kong which had been stolen in a burglary in 1994. We identified it 25 years later at an auction. The watch had been bought by the victim’s late father as a graduation gift and had enormous sentimental value.”

One third of stolen or lost timepieces are Rolexes, says Hills. “They are by far the most desirable brand for thieves because of their popularity and steady value, to the extent that they have become a form of currency in the criminal world.” The brand’s Datejust, Daytona and Submariner models are the most commonly stolen, she adds, before revealing that criminals are becoming increasingly knowledgeable about trends in the wider watch industry. “Over the last year, we’ve seen thieves set their sights on models such as the Patek Philippe Nautilus and Rolex Pepsi, which have long waiting lists.”

Most of us take precautions that range from vaults to insurance, but our timepieces continue to be stolen from hotel rooms, gym lockers and other seemingly safe surroundings. “Don’t make yourself a target—watch thieves are professionals and will spot bling on your wrist from a mile away, so keep your watch entirely out of sight when out in public spaces,” says Hills.

Home security systems provided by companies such as Buben & Zörweg are also worth considering. “Besides the very real financial risk related to losing an entire

From top: Authorities recover stolen watches following a police raid; this Rolex Cellini was returned to it’s Hong Kong-based owner 25 years after it was taken watch collection that you’ve spent a large part of your life amassing, there’s also a psychological benefit to knowing that you have a high-security safe. It puts your mind at ease,” says CEO Christian Zörweg. His company makes six-figure strongboxes that are entirely customisable. With its target customers having roughly US$4 million in disposable income, nothing is off-limits, from built-in humidors to bulletproof glass.

“Many watch collectors have more than one residence. Maybe you own a family home in addition to properties where you holiday. Or perhaps you have apartments in numerous cities where you frequently travel for business. If you’re one of these people, having high-security safes is important if you don’t want to carry your high-end watches around with you all the time.”

There aren’t any official statistics on the number of watches stolen each year but, in the US alone, the Federal Bureau of Investigation estimates that the jewellery and watch industry loses more than US$100 million annually in thefts. As for the watch brands themselves, there aren’t any hard and fast rules when it comes to helping collectors recover their pieces. When watches come in for servicing, most brands will check serial numbers against databases, but there’s a long way to go before the entire industry pulls together. All is not lost, however.

“The number of stolen watches reported to us by Hong Kong police in April this year was just 20 per cent of the figure reported in January,” says Hills, who credits the dramatic drop in crime levels to the coronavirus pandemic. “In central London, just one high-value watch robbery was reported during the first five weeks of lockdown, compared to an average of one per day prior to quarantine.” And with the rise of online services specialising in recovering stolen or lost watches, there is hope for those who fall victim to watch theft. Just remember: if you’re being offered a genuine Rolex at a price that seems too good to be true, the chances are that it probably is. But before turning it down, make a note of its serial number. You might be doing a fellow collector a favour.

In 1969, astronauts Buzz Aldrin and Neil Armstrong stepped onto the lunar surface as part of the Apollo 11 crew wearing Omega wristwatches. Unfortunately, upon its return, Aldrin’s Speedmaster was stolen while en route to the Smithsonian Institution. Last year, to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the lunar landing, Omega released two limited edition models: an all-gold Apollo 11 50th Anniversary Moonshine; and a more affordable alternative in stainless steel and Ceragold. Aldrin’s original timepiece, however, has never been found.

A secret admirer ordered a Breguet timepiece in 1783 as a gift for Marieantoinette. Dubbed The Queen, the pocket watch’s design featured 23 complications and 823 parts, but wasn’t completed until 1827—24 years after Marie-antoinette’s gruesome death. Fast-forward to 1983, and while on display at the LA Mayer Museum of Islamic Art in Jerusalem, it mysteriously vanished. Years later, an exact replica of The Queen was commissioned by The Swatch Group, but just before its unveiling in 2006, the original was found wrapped in newspaper in a Tel Aviv home. Who’d have thought?

Rumour has it that Yoko Ono bought John Lennon a Patek Philippe 2499 for his 40th birthday. This story is unsubstantiated, but Lennon was photographed wearing one just a few months before his assassination. The 2499 perpetual calendar chronograph is one of the world’s most sought-after watches due to its rarity. Made between 1950 and 1985, only 349 units were ever produced. In 2018, Sotheby’s sold one at auction for just shy of US$4 million. We can only imagine how much one owned by Lennon would fetch if it were to be discovered.

Caroline Murat, sister of Napoléon Bonaparte and direct descendent of the Queen of Naples, commissioned Breguet to create the first ever wristwatch in 1810. Unfortunately, it’s not been seen since Murat sent it for servicing in 1855. According to the brand, Murat acquired more than 30 Breguet watches and clocks during her lifetime, so who knows if she even knew that this model went missing?

Rafael Nadal’s US$380,000 RM027 tourbillon went missing from his five-star hotel during the French Open in 2012. The watch was quickly recovered after it was discovered that the hotel’s barman had used his access badge to enter Nadal’s suite while he was sleeping (… creepy). But this wasn’t the first time Nadal lost a Richard Mille. A custom-made piece worth US$525,000 went missing from the locker room during a 2008 match at the Rogers Cup in Toronto. That one was never recovered. The tennis star must have had some explaining to do when the folks at Richard Mille, with whom he enjoys an endorsement deal, found out.